Wengen (Switzerland) (AFP)

The Swiss Beat Feuz won Saturday for the third time in his career the descent of Wengen, counting for the Ski World Cup, ahead of his great rival, the Italian Dominik Paris and the German Thomas Dressen.

On a track where no French has won since Heni Duvillard in 1970, the tricolors finished far enough. The first of them, Nils Allègre, finished 15th, 1 sec 54/100 from Feuz followed by Maxence Muzaton (19th) and Matthieu Bailet (25th).

At 32, Feuz joined the Austrian giant Franz Klammer in the legendary descent, the only one before him to have won three times on the Lauberhorn, three years in a row (1975, 1976 and 1977).

"Having won three times at Wengen, making history is very good, but it is not the most important for me because my career continues and I have to think about the next races," reacted Feuz.

"I will realize this when my career is over and when I count my victories," he added.

Under the eyes of his partner Karine and in a postcard setting (blue sky, snowy trees), Feuz, already winner on the Lauberhorn in 2012 and 2018, takes the same lead in the general classification of the discipline with 400 pts, in front of Paris (384).

- Shortened descent -

On a shortened descent due to snowfall during the night, with a start given above the Hundschopf ("the dog's head", a jump of 40 meters between two rocks), Feuz won in 1 min 42 dry 53/100, ahead of Paris by 29/100 and Dressen by 31/100, at the end of a course cut by fifty seconds.

At home and driven by the 32,000 spectators, the Swiss placed four skiers in the Top 10 with Mauro Caviezel (5th) and the unexpected Niels Hintermann (8th) and Ralph Weber (10th).

Winner at the beginning of December of the descent of Beaver Creek, Feuz, nicknamed Kugelblitz ("fireball") signs his 10th victory in descent.

On the French side, in the absence of injured Adrien Théaux, Johan Clarey, 39, 2nd in the descent from Beaver Creek in early December, left with serious hopes.

But the vice-world champion of super-G 2019 had a day without and committed several faults. Passing near the fall, he conceded almost 5 seconds to the winner.

Best tricolor, Allègre considered that "in the way, it's good". "I gave it my all, I put my heart into it. But I made a few mistakes that cost me dearly. The S happened a bit by a miracle, this is where I leave a lot of time and behind I don't have much speed anymore "he added.

Successful Friday on the combined with Alexis Pinturault and Victor Muffat-Jeandet respectively 2nd and 3rd behind the Austrian Matthias Mayer, the French have the opportunity to shine again on Sunday in the slalom where Clément Noël will defend his title.

© 2020 AFP